Welcome to the hospital in Cu Chi. I knew I had been in the Cu Chi hospital, but evidently I got the sequence mixed up. I’m not surprised, though, and as you read the next two letters you can probably figure out why. I’m combining two letters today because they are both short and the first one has no date and was not mailed separately. I do not mention returning briefly to the field. I thought I had, but maybe not. Going through these letters that describe my malaria, I wonder how close to death I actually came. The first one is written on Red Cross stationary and the second on 1st Cav stationary.
“Dear Mom, dad, Rob & Sue,
As you can guess, I did it again – Falciparum Malaria. I’m back in the hospital, this time the 12th Evac Hosp in Cu Chi. The nurse said I should be here for 7-10 days and then they are going to ship me to Cam Ranh Bay for a week or two. The good thing about it is I probably won’t see the field again. Continue to write me at my old address and they’ll send it on to me.
“Late news is better than no news. And anyway this will all be behind me soon. Ready for a shock? I’m down to 145 lbs. It’s going to take a lot of hard work to build myself up. This attack seems to be worse. This is my second day here and so far I’ve been in a lot of hurt, diarrhea, dry heaves (I’m on a liquid diet). My temp has been up to 105, but only once. It was 104.6 last temperature check so they made me take a cold shower, no hot & cold running water here. No flush toilets or urinals either, but the ward itself isn’t bad. It’s air conditioned, but it’s not near as nice as Siagon hospital. There are weird bugs and flies in here, but no mosquitoes. I’ve definitely become paranoid of mosquitoes.
“Watched the news on the tube tonight, all bad as usual. Who would put 4 incendiary bombs in Macy’s Dept store? What a crazy world. Well, I feel better now than I’ve felt all day. I sure don’t want to go through another day like today. Right now I’m watching Ed Sullivan (Sun night). He sure is getting old. Not much to add to this letter, but as you can guess, I’m not in a writing mood. Just want to let you know what’s happening. Hope all is well with you. Love, Dave. 49 days!”
There is no mention of Tay Ninh in this letter, but I must have relapsed while there. The second letter is dated Oct 21 and is from Cam Ranh Bay, so it looks like the nurse mentioned in the above letter was right.
“Dear mom, dad, Rob & Sue, Oct 21
Number 2 son reporting from beautiful Cam Ranh Bay on the east coast of Vietnam. I am now at the 6th Convalescent Hospital at Cam Ranh Bay. I wear pajama bottoms, jungle boots and a green fatigue shirt. All officers and NCO’s wear green shirts to distinguish them from E-4 and below.
“The view from this place is fantastic. The ocean – beaches – mountains. Its the Cape Cod National Sea Shore with mountains in the background. The water is about 100 yards away and it’s clear blue – just beautiful. I wish I had a camera.
“Enclosed in this letter is another letter which I never got to mail.” I believe it is the above letter. “I’m feeling ok now. I’m still taking medication. I’ve got a cold on top of my malaria, but I’m losing it. I’m having a hard time writing. I haven’t written anyone in over a week, and haven’t gotten any mail since Oct 10. I just don’t feel like writing when I don’t get any mail. Eventually it should catch up with me, and I’ll bet I feel 100% better when it does. Continue to write through my unit. I guess it’s easier that way. Not much else to say. Everything is pretty routine here. Take care, see you all soon. 41 days, Love Dave”
The next letter is written on a typewriter. That’s different. Maybe I’ll actually describe what some of that “routine” I mention actually is. I remember being at Cam Ranh Bay, but very little about it. I think I might have been a barracks Sgt. Maybe we’ll find out in the next letter. See ya next Monday, Nov 14.
Interesting to watch your number going down–49, 41. I’m guessing your parents were hopeful you’d never be sent back to the field! Having serious bouts of malaria was a high price to pay but better than getting shot on short time.